A Podcast is Born (A Star is Born (2018) Review)
*TW: MENTIONS OF SUICIDE AND ADDICTION
USA NATIONAL SUICIDE HOTLINE: Text/Chat/Call 988*
Kat and Ryley watch and review Bradley Cooper's "A Star is Born"
Review Overview: Neither of us has seen the other versions, so we can't speak to how this compares with them.
Overall this movie is well-made. There are some structural issues (such as pacing) that are most likely a result of this being Cooper's directorial debut. His character feels lacking at times because of his divided attention on set. However, the attention given to the other actors paid off. Lady Gaga is transcendent in this movie.
The story itself is emotionally heavy and might leave you feeling down as the credits roll. Whether or not you're okay with that is up to you.
As annoying as it is that there has been an onslaught of remakes and reboots in the past few years, the story of A Star is Born is timeless and is easily updated to fit any era.
Kat and Ryley: 8/10
Ryley: [00:00:00] Hello,
Kat: hello, and welcome to
Kat and Ryley: Easy Bake Takes
Ryley: the podcast!
Kat: Where we read you the one star reviews of your favorite movies and more. My name's Kat
Ryley: and I'm Ryley. Our theme for the next two episodes will be actors directing. And today I picked A Star is Born, which is Bradley Coopers, directorial debut.
Kat: He, I think he wrote it too, right?
Ryley: Oh yeah. He wrote the screenplay for this. So this movie was made in 2018. It's rated R it's two hours. It's 16 minutes. Should I go ahead and read the plot?
Kat: Go for it.
Ryley: Jackson Maine, a famous country music singer privately battling an alcohol and drug addiction plays a concert in California. I'm already crying. His main support is Bobby, his manager and older half brother. After the show, Jackson visits, a drag bar where he witnesses a [00:01:00] performance by Ally. A waitress and singer songwriter. Jackson is amazed by her performance and they spend the night speaking to each other, where Ally discloses to him, the trouble she has faced in pursuing a professional music career. Jackson invites Ally to his next show. Despite her as initial refusal, she attends and, with Jackson's encouragement, sings on stage with him. Jackson invites Ally to go on tour with him and they form a romantic relationship. In Arizona, Ally and Jackson visit the ranch where Jackson grew up and where his father is buried. Only to discover that Bobby sold the land. Angered at his betryal, Jackson punches Bobby who subsequently quits as his manager. Before doing so Bobby reveals that he did inform Jackson about the sale, but the latter was too inebriated to notice. While on tour, Ally meets Rez, a record producer who offers her a contract. Rez refocuses Ally away from country music and towards pop. Jack misses one of Ally's performances after he passes out drunk in public, he recovers at home of his best friend, George "Noodles" Stone and later makes up with Ally. There he proposes with Ally with an [00:02:00] impromptu ring made from a loop of a guitar string, and they are married that same day at a church ministered by a relative of Noodles. During Ally's performance on Saturday Night Live, Bobby reconciles with Jack. Later, Ally and a drunken Jack fight over Ally's growing artistic success. Jack criticizes Ally's new image and music, as her success appears to be outpacing his recent decline in popularity. At the Grammy's, where Ally is nominated for three awards, a visibly intoxicated Jack performs a tribute to Roy Orbison. Later in the evening, Ally wins the best new artist award. When she goes up on stage to receive her award, a still inebriated Jack star goes up to her where he publicly wets himself and passes out. Ally's father, Lorenzo, berates a semiconscious Jack while Ally attempts to help Jack sober up. Jack joins a rehabilitation program shortly thereafter. While recovering in rehab for about two months, Jack discloses to his counselor that he tried to. Sorry, I should have done a, I forgot to do a warning. Here's a trigger warning.
Kat: Yeah. Trigger warning for suicide.
Ryley: Right. Discloses to his counselor, that he tried to commit [00:03:00] suicide at 12 years old. He also mentions that he has hearing problems due to progressively worsening tendonitis. Jack tearfully apologizes to Ally for his behavior. While returning home, Jack admits to Bobby that it was him he idolized and not their father. Ally asked Rez to bring jacked on her European tour, but Rez refuses, prompting Ally to cancel the remainder of the tour so she can care for Jack. Later while waiting at their home for Ally, Rez confronts Jack and accuses him of nearly ruining Ally's career, saying that Jack will start relapse again. That evening Ally lies to Jack and tells him that her record label has canceled her tour so she can focus on her second album. Jack promises he will come to her concert that night. After Ally leaves, he hangs himself in their garage. Ally, grief stricken and inconsolable after Jack's suicide, is visited by Bobby, who tells her that the suicide was Jack's own fault and not hers. The closing scenes reveal a flashback of Jack working on a song about his love for Ally, which he never finished writing. Ally sing his song, this song as a tribute to Jack, introducing herself for the first time as Ally Maine.
Kat: [00:04:00] Just like thinking about the end of this movie is already like I'm te like I'm tearing up.
Ryley: Oh yeah, absolutely.
Kat: But I also wanted, just to mention at the top that two of the drag queens that are in the drag bar are from RuPaul's Drag Race.
Ryley: Oh, that's so cool.
Kat: It's Shangela and Willam for any Drag Race fans out there.
Ryley: I have some facts about them, cuz they're, I'll tell you later. Should I go ahead with the details?
Kat: Yes, let's hear some background.
Ryley: Okay. Screen players were Eric Roth, Bradley Cooper and Will Fetters. The cast is Lady Gaga who plays Ally, Bradley Cooper plays Jackson, Sam Elliott who plays Bobby. Andrew Dice Clay as Lorenzo. Rafi Gavron as Rez Gavron, Anthony Ramos as Raymond.
Kat: From Hamilton.
Ryley: Oh, really? Oh cool. Dave Chappelle, he plays Noodles. Marlon Williams plays Marlon Williams. Brandy Carlisle plays Brandy Carlisle, and I love Brandy Carlisle.
Kat: Mm-hmm
Ryley: Here's some trivia. There are four A Star is Born movies, including like a fifth forgotten one which was made in [00:05:00] 1932 called What More, Hollywood?
Kat: Mm-hmm Am I wrong? Barbara Streisand was in one of them, right?
Ryley: Yes. And I have a list of them. We have 1937 with Janet Gaynor, 1954 with Judy Garland, 1976 with Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. He's like a very famous musician.
Kat: Mm-hmm
Ryley: And of course, 2018 with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. Bradley Cooper said that lady Gaga was the one who convinced him they should sing live. Gaga says she hated watching movies where the actors were not lip singing correctly to the songs, and to avoid this and get it right they need to sing live for the film. This caused Cooper to get more extensive vocal training. Cuz like I think he later said like he took singing for granted.
Kat: Mm-hmm
Ryley: For his role as Jackson, Maine Bradley Cooper was taught to play guitar by Luke Nelson, son of Willie Nelson, which I found very cool.
Kat: Yeah. He performs for him now.
Ryley: Oh, does he?
Kat: Cuz willie's a little too old. Yeah.
Ryley: Aww. I love that. He's very talented. He wrote some of the songs that are in the soundtrack. Veteran dialect coach Tim Monich worked for several months with Cooper to [00:06:00] help him better flesh out his vocal singing range. The majority of the drag queen scenes were unscripted and improvised. They originally had little dialogue but seeing that their candid jokes added so much entertainment value, Bradley Cooper decided to extend them and let them play around on their own. Willem Belli, the drag queen that played Crystal, even playing that none of her original lines made it to the final cut and that all her scenes in the movie were out of improvisation.
Kat: Mm-hmm
Ryley: Lady Gaga has said that she become so attached to her character during the shoot. She had to dye her hair blonde, as soon as the film wrapped in order to release Ally. She also said that in real life, she is nothing like her character Ally, the biggest difference being that she was extremely ambitious about her career from a young age and was classically trained in music, while Ally is starting off a late bloomer with no self-confidence in her talent.
Kat: Gaga was very determined.
Ryley: That's why people hated her so much too.
Kat: Mm-hmm. They had a whole Facebook hate page about Lady Gaga.
Ryley: People hate a confident woman
Kat: mm-hmm
Ryley: or an ambitious woman.
Kat: They love to tear them down.
Ryley: Mm-hmm. Bradley Cooper claimed that his dream was to [00:07:00] be a director before he got into acting. And this was his directorial debut, Steven Spielberg and Clint Eastwood had expressed interest. However, Cooper's persistence landed him the project. Bradley Cooper has said that the film was a personal labor love that was four years in preparation, and that he was blessed to have the luxury of a prolonged post-production period to edit, mix, and score his directorial feature debut. During the screen test lady Gaga wore no makeup. However, she initially tried to trick Bradley Cooper by wearing no makeup makeup. But he took a makeup wipe and revealed that she was still wearing makeup and needed to remove it all.
Kat: Hmm.
Ryley: Bradley Cooper originally went to cast Jack White in the role of Jackson Maine. The studio wouldn't work with him though. That would've been so interesting.
Kat: I'm not confident in his acting abilities.
Ryley: I, I was trying to think like, has he acted anything before have shown that he can act in anything? Cuz like it's a cool idea, but like if he, he needs to act, he needs to know how to act.
Kat: Yeah. I do love Jack White.
Ryley: I love Jack White.
Kat: I feel like he would've kind of like lady Gaga. I feel like he would've taken [00:08:00] it really seriously.
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: But I've never seen him act before so I, I I'm assuming maybe that's why the studio didn't wanna work with him. I hope it's nothing worse than that.
Ryley: Yeah. The movie was filmed at real music festivals, including Coachella. Their whole shallow scene, I believe was filmed at Coachella with a live audience, but they had to put up all their phones so like they wouldn't film it. Very, very cool. I mean, I think that would be crazy to watch.
Kat: That would make a Coachella ticket worth it.
Ryley: Yeah, honestly. Yeah. Just for that, honestly. Cooper modeled his voice off Sam Elliotts and then cast Sam Elliott in his movie. I think he told him after.
Kat: Which is funny, cuz the part of like you stole my voice.
Ryley: Oh, that is so funny. I didn't even, that's funny. Oh, one last fact the dog in the movie is Bradley. Cooper's real dog.
Kat: I love that. Like we've had a few movies like-
Ryley: Jaws.
Kat: Catching Fire.
Ryley: Catching Fire. I love that.
Kat: That's so cute.
Ryley: I love it too. Okay. So after reading all that, what are your thoughts on the movie?
Kat: Okay. First and foremost, [00:09:00] Lady Gaga can literally have and rock any hair color, but she looks amazing as a redhead.
Ryley: Mm-hmm
Kat: it fits her so well. I love lady Gaga.
Ryley: Me too.
Kat: The only other time I had seen her act, before watching A Star is Born, was in American Horror Story, so I wasn't super confident in her acting ability coming into this movie, but like she does an amazing job. She really is like an artist. I like the way that she approaches her career, cuz she's never really fully giving you all of her, but she really she still puts all of herself into everything.
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: You know, if that makes sense, but like she's not letting her audience in all the way.
Ryley: Yeah. I, I agree.
Kat: Mm-hmm
Ryley: I think she does fantastic. I just,
Kat: She does a great job.
Ryley: I love Gaga.
Kat: This story itself is so timeless.
Ryley: Mm-hmm .
Kat: If anybody else was cast in the role that Lady Gaga played I don't think it would've done it justice. And I also know that Lady Gaga's a really big fan of like Barbara Streisand. They have a lot in common.
Ryley: Yes. Barbara [00:10:00] Streisand visited set while they were filming and invited her to dinner at her house.
Kat: Aw, that's so sweet.
Ryley: I know. Right. So like she, I think she was supportive,
Kat: yeah.
Ryley: Through all of it. So.
Kat: It's something I remember. I think it was the Oscars.
Ryley: Oh my god.
Kat: Lady Gaga is very methodical in like every project she's doing.
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: But I can't watch this movie without thinking about her sitting at his feet while he sang. And I was just like, oh my God, Gaga.
Ryley: Not to be a gossip podcast podcast- podcast. But I was thinking about that too. And you might cut this out, cuz it, you know, I'm not a good source for anything, but not soon after, but leading after the film, they both did split from their partners. And I just wonder.
Kat: I'll just say they're the cooler version of Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton.
Ryley: Yeah. Oh, [00:11:00] why is that so funny though? Because, oh my God, they are .
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: Oh my God.
Kat: That's something I was thinking about when I was watching it too. I was like, Gwen Stefani.
Ryley: That is really funny cuz that's literally what their characters are. That is so funny. Holy crap.
Kat: Trying to think what else? The music in this movie is amazing.
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: It's expected from this story. Some of the most talented singers from their specific generations have played this role. Fucking Judy Garland
Ryley: mm-hmm
Kat: Barbara Streisand.
Ryley: Mm-hmm
Kat: The other one.
Ryley: she was famous for her time.
Kat: Janet Gaynor
Ryley: mm-hmm.
Kat: Like if the music was not at the level it is for this movie, it would not be good.
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: In my opinion. I was disappointed that he was a country singer, but I just hate country.
Ryley: There's one song and it's very guitar, electric guitar heavy, I have to say. There is one song like, okay, that's not bad.
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: And I don't think he has a bad voice.
Kat: No.
Ryley: I think he ha he could have a good song, but yeah, I'm not, I can't tell you [00:12:00] a song. That I loved from him in this movie besides with Lady Gaga in it.
Kat: Yeah. Everybody in this movie does a great job.
Ryley: Mm-hmm
Kat: Teeters on cheesy sometimes, but that's just like the territory of like this kind of movie.
Ryley: Yeah.
Kat: It's something that's been remade multiple times.
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: It's for everybody. Well it's rated R but like it's for all adult audiences. There's nothing wrong with it, really, but it's not like a movie I'm gonna watch over and over again.
Ryley: Yeah.
Kat: But I could understand how this is somebody's favorite movie.
Ryley: Oh yeah. I, I get that. Yeah.
Kat: Yeah. I can't really think of much criticism, but I could see how someone who's like a really big fan of all of the Star is Born movies might
Ryley: mm-hmm
Kat: have issues with it, but I personally can't point those out. That's really all I have.
Ryley: Mm-hmm
Kat: What about you? What do you have?
Ryley: So I've never seen any of the other ones. This was the only one I've seen. So I don't have a perspective of the other ones.
Kat: Yeah, same here.
Ryley: But as far as I know, I mean, this is, I mean, this is good. , [00:13:00] you know, a lot of people say like, this is the best one out of them.
Kat: Mm-hmm
Ryley: But besides the Barbra Streisand one, I think that a lot of people like that one. People compared it and were like it's very, very good, you know, even compared to that one, I like this movie, a lot. I went to go see this in theaters.
Kat: Mm-hmm.
Ryley: I love La Vie En Rose. I love that. I love that song.
Kat: Oh, that is one of my favorite songs.
Ryley: And sung by her is just, I that's that drag bar scene all of it is in my opinion, cinema. I love it. I love everything about it. I love it. I love it. I love it.
Kat: Mm-hmm
Ryley: I don't know. I feel like you covered a lot of it.
Yeah.
Gaga's acting was amazing. I like Bradley. I don't think this is, he's very good.
Kat: Mm-hmm
Ryley: I think there are stronger performances from him. Not that he's lacking in this in any way, but like, I just.
Kat: You know, maybe his attention was a little divided since he was also directing.
Ryley: Oh my gosh. Yeah.
Kat: What the fun fact said that it was like a personal, like labor of love for him. I could tell, I could feel the care and the heart [00:14:00] that was put into like making this movie
Ryley: Mm-hmm because I do, I think this movie is wonderfully directed. I, I really do love it and I think he's great in it. I think Gaga is great. Everyone's good in this movie.
Kat: Mm-hmm
Ryley: You were saying earlier that it is kind of cheesy. I mean, it's a romance movie though. I think romance movie's always kind of border cheesy, but
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: I think that's why we like romance movies, you know.
Kat: Mm-hmm
Ryley: Everyone loves the little cheese. You know?
Kat: And I think with like every A Star is Born movie, there's probably some aspect of it that didn't age, you know.
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: So like there's some dialogue things where I'm like, who would say that? Other than that, it's like, it's not a big deal. It's just like a little chuckle.
Ryley: Yeah. I do love that meme that popped up afterwards,
Kat: Just wanna get another look at you.
Ryley: He says that, but the meme was like hey, she goes, what? Are you that rah rah bitch? Like, I remember that one being a big one. And I just really liked it. Apparently that is a line from another one. And I don't know if it's in all of them or just one of them, but that's [00:15:00] not an original line.
Kat: Okay.
Ryley: It's just funny how he says it.
Kat: Just wanna take another look at you.
Ryley: Just that gravelly country voice. Like I get it.
Kat: Bradley Cooper. I feel like there are some moments where I'm like, let me turn on the subtitles.
Ryley: A lot of people says he mumbles in this movie, which I think is fair.
Kat: I get it from like a characterization standpoint, but from a watching standpoint, it's like, I'll turn the subtitles on.
Ryley: Right. I mean, I feel like we've covered it all at this point.
Kat: Okay.
Ryley: All right. Let's get into the critic reviews. This first one is by Richard Crouse from Richard Crouse.com. He gave it four and a half stars. He quotes "it's a familiar story given an oxygen by rock solid direction, music with lyrics that forwards the story and two very good, authentic performers." They talk about how Bradley Cooper, digs deep to play his character, but Lady Gaga is an equal talent to him. They say that she sheds her pop persona, as we recognize her and then portrays a very soulful character.
Kat: In the beginning of her career with, like, she [00:16:00] started out with this like Britney thing and then meat dress.
Ryley: Meat dress. Everyone hated her for that for some reason
Kat: well, okay. It was because they were, um, it was like the don't ask don't tell era.
Ryley: Oh.
Kat: And so she came to that award ceremony with four gay, uh, veterans.
Ryley: Oh.
Kat: Because they're treated like pieces of meat in the military.
Ryley: I love that.
Kat: Mm-hmm.
Ryley: Oh, that's why people hated her. Cuz they were being fucking homophobic.
Kat: Well that, and also people were just like, she's weird.
Ryley: Yeah. I remember that being the big thing I did. I remember people going like, oh, who does that? And it's just like, no, whatever.
Kat: She's very calculated in her creative decisions for
Ryley: mm-hmm
Kat: For things like that, but I just wanted to.
Ryley: That's pretty cool. Not gonna lie. That's pretty cool.
Kat: I'm not, I'm not a little monster, so I didn't , you know, like.
Ryley: Yeah.
Kat: I love her, but like, I'm not like a super fan or anything. So I didn't,
Ryley: mm-hmm.
Kat: Follow along with these different eras of her and like, know her message behind all of them.
Ryley: Yeah. They quote, "stripped down she is rawer than we've seen her [00:17:00] before in a performance that feels authentic and not a musician playing a musician." Cooper and Gaga have great chemistry besides music and romance. There's a message through the film about art and they quote, "in a time when the arts are under siege by government cuts and pre-packaged pop culture. The film empathetically reminds us both in practice and it's themes, the artists are here to actually say something. Everything else is just a product. A Star is Born, could have been a product, a glitzy film with heart throb and a pop star in the leads. But instead resonates with real feelings and heartfelt emotion." Which I very, very much agree with.
Kat: I agree that she doesn't seem like a musician playing a musician.
Ryley: Yeah. I love that quote.
Kat: I just love Lady Gaga.
Ryley: I do too. Have you seen House of Gucci yet?
Kat: I have not.
Ryley: It's long, but you definitely need to see it still.
Kat: I know I, I do. I do.
Ryley: This next one is by Joanne Laurier. The title is "Bradley Cooper's A Star is Born: it's true, the artist must have something to say." This is from the website, the World's Socialist Website. So they open by [00:18:00] saying, A Star is Born is a commercial success from lady Gaga being in it. They say Bradley Cooper is a draw, both personality wise and first time director wise and how the movie has appeal due to its drama and Hollywood romance. They say there are likable features to the film like Lady Gaga's performance in the bar scene feels its most authentic. However, the greatest weakness here is that Star is Born, unlike the most successful of its predecessors, never becomes a commentary on the destructive nature of stardom.
Kat: Yes. I know that Jackson's like addiction partially comes from his father.
Ryley: Mm-hmm
Kat: But don't you think that being a a famous person probably had some effect on that. And that's what I take from it.
Ryley: Mm-hmm
Kat: I think this movie does have commentary on it. It's just not saying this is because you were famous.
Ryley: Yeah, this is the number one thing why.
Kat: Yeah, I think this person is like upset because it wasn't in their fucking face.
Ryley: Exactly. They say the characters aren't affected by the struggles of fame or stardom, but by [00:19:00] substance abuse and like relationship struggles. They say like the substance abuse is caused by like the father, but like, or like his father
mm-hmm
And says, this is because the people who made it are comfortable with their own fame. So they, they take that for granted and not showing that in the movie.
Kat: Their relationship problems are a direct result of fame.
Ryley: Exactly. And like their, their careers and how she is surpassing him.
Kat: Her being famous and him also being famous is their biggest relationship struggle outside of like his struggles with addiction.
Ryley: Well, it's almost like they co they're like co-related.
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: Like, like you said earlier, because she's surpassing him, he drinks because he drinks, they have issues.
Kat: Mm-hmm.
Ryley: Ironically the films' chief weakness is that it does not have much to say despite the fact that characters keep insisting an artists above all needs to have that. Like countless other dramatic films at present, it reduces the problems to family dysfunction or abuse and not the soul crushing world of false gods and fools gold.
Kat: There's a fine [00:20:00] line that we've talked about. Where movies either, the message is too deep into it, you have to look it up afterwards to figure it out.
Ryley: Yeah.
Kat: This one, you just spend 10 minutes thinking about all the things that happen in the movie. And you're like, okay. A lot of that was affected by being in the public eye.
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: Shut up.
Ryley: I, yeah, they go under critique, the ward scene where he pees himself and how that wouldn't ruin his, his or her career nowadays. You know, there's no such thing as bad press, which I do agree with nowadays. Like there are, if this happened, the Judy Garland movie, whoever dude pissed himself, that's that is forever in that movie realm, that character would not have a career afterwards.
Kat: They'd be laughed out of, out of hollywood.
Ryley: Exactly. Nowadays, if that happened. That would literally be laugh. It'd be laughed out, memes made about it, but that person would her and that other person would, their careers would be fine. Like they wouldn't be.
Kat: It would just come down to how you would recover from an embarrassing moment.
Ryley: Exactly. And people are just more, more [00:21:00] willing to forgive, I think.
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: I don't know. It just kind of depends on the situ it's kind of a situation by situation kind of thing. But I think something like this, I kind of agree. I don't, this is not a career ruiner. It's embarrassing for sure.
Kat: Cause obviously she still has a career. She still goes on touring and like
Ryley: mm-hmm.
Kat: It seems more so, like, he feels so bad that he ruined that moment for her. He doesn't really care what the world thinks of him as much as what she thinks of him.
Ryley: Exactly. And it's what Rez says to him. It's like, oh, you almost ruined her career. And you're gonna relapse and root it more.
Kat: Mm-hmm.
Ryley: You know, it's like that kind of thing. It's not the incident itself.
Kat: Yeah. And it's not the press and like fans reacting to it.
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: Especially with his addiction and in like the time that this movie's made, I think we're at least at a point where eventually people would realize, oh, that happened because of his addiction and they wouldn't be so hard on him.
Ryley: Mm-hmm .
Kat: So I, I don't fully get the critique there.
Ryley: They [00:22:00] have more to say after this. They end it by talking about the other films and how they have more depth with their plots and what, what their meaning of the movie is and what they're actually saying. And they say that this version sadly doesn't have the depth or substance compared to the other ones.
Kat: That could be true.
Ryley: I wouldn't know. As far as I know from the movie I saw, I thought it, I thought it had a great depth and substance, you know, not comparing it.
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: This next one's by Ron Wilkinson, they quote, "perhaps Bradley Cooper thought he could get off easy by making his directorial debut and expanded MTV video. After all having cornered the considerable singing talents of Lady Gaga, promise to go a long way. So it turns out Gaga playing the lead part of the superstar to be Ally must act as well as seeing she does not. Her singing is interspersed with mugging for director Cooper as see directs and mugging at actor Cooper as he plays the co-lead." He goes on to say, Bradley Cooper can act, but doesn't like how long his hair is. Goes on to talk about how good his character [00:23:00] is in American Hustle was compared to his character in Star is Born. He liked the energy of that character in American hustle compared to this one. Basically from what I interpreted from what he was saying, he liked Bradley Cooper playing a cokehead more than a slow talking drunk.
Kat: Oh my God.
Ryley: Cause literally, they were just talking about like how much they hated, how slow he talked. Like, I mean, literally that's, I mean, I don't know how to explain it other than that.
Kat: I, yeah. That's what it sounds like.
Ryley: Yeah. Lady Gaga is a great performer and this movie showcases her performances. She has the makeup thing down and the costume thing, and somebody on the crew knew how to shoot live stage scenes, hence the great MTV video. Comparing her to other female leads who have played this role and other similar roles like it. It's a sad experience. The ongoing Streen nose jokes are depressing as it is most of the screenplay. They think the movie would have been better at Sam Elliot and Bradley Cooper switch characters.
Kat: Ew.
Ryley: That was a crazy little thing. They wrote.
Kat: Ew.
Ryley: That would've been kind of creepy.
Kat: It would've been very creepy.
Ryley: This is their our last little thing they said, the dog should win an [00:24:00] Oscar before anyone else. Great little burn at the end. And then they gave it a five outta 10.
Kat: If this movie was bad, that'd be funny. I don't know. I don't think the nose jokes are depressing. I-
Ryley: I think they were thinking it was like corny or something, or like not to use a metaphor, but like too on the nose to the other movies,
Kat: ba dum bum
Ryley: like, I think that's what they were trying to say, which yeah, maybe could play on the cheesy level, but I don't think it was that bad.
Kat: Five outta 10. That's that's a little higher than I thought this person was gonna give this.
Ryley: Y yeah. You would think it'd be lower, but I guess they saw something in it. I'm bringing back our one of our favorite reviewers.
Kat: Mm-hmm
Ryley: Richard Propes, the Independent Critic. He gave it at an A minus.
Kat: Oh, hell yeah.
Ryley: Richard says, "I could give you a million reasons to check out Bradley. Cooper's remarkable directorial debut, but the simple truth is that there's one that has stood out above all other reasons... it's the one that I've not been able to shake, emotionally or physically, since laying my eyes on this extraordinary remake of A Star is Born - Lady Gaga gives one of the [00:25:00] greatest breakout performances in recent years, a performance so charismatic and convincing and so richly authentic and immersive that I'm not sure I'll ever forget it." That's just this opening statement.
Kat: That's wow.
Ryley: "A Star is Born was just about everything I want my movie experience to be. I left the theater a changed human being, simultaneously entertained and emotionally altered in ways I don't even know how to describe. I was immersed in a world that I really know nothing about, yet somehow it felt like an extension of my own. My heart soared. My heart broke. Every fiber of my being felt every high note and every low note and seemingly every note in between. I love it when cinema changes me and A Star is Born changed me.
Kat: Do you think the, and seemingly every note in between part was like a nod to the Bradley Cooper's character saying that music is the notes between every octave?
Ryley: Yeah, probably. I would bet. Richard goes on. He says, "it's astonishing to realize that this is Bradley Cooper's directorial debut." But Propes says, Bradley has always shown how [00:26:00] talented he is and how much growth he's shown through his career. And he says, he does so with this film as well. He says, Lady Gaga owns the crown for the best actress to play in all four movies.
Kat: Okay.
Ryley: She, he thinks she's the best.
Kat: I've never seen the other ones, but if Richard saying it, I'm sure there's some truth to it.
Ryley: I believe Richard.
Kat: Mm-hmm.
Ryley: I believe Richard. He says there is not a scene wasted, even with a long run time. He says, the rest of the cast is amazing, including Sam Elliot. He quotes, "but truthfully A Star is Born belongs to Cooper and Gaga. Despite the demands of a directorial debut, Cooper may very well give his best performance to date and it should most definitely be remembered come award season. Cooper immerses himself in Jackson like he's never really immersed himself in a character, surrendering to the highs and lows and joys and sorrows with stunning transparency and vulnerability. Gaga? She's simultaneously exuberant and intimate, introverted and extroverted, achingly openhearted and yet appropriately restrained and disciplined. She announces her cinematic presence to Hollywood and I wouldn't be surprised to see her pick up an academy award this [00:27:00] year... There may be better films in 2018, but few will stay in your heart like A Star is Born." Loved it.
Kat: I could tell.
Ryley: Yeah.
Kat: I know I said this isn't my favorite movie on the planet. I know I cry a lot.
Ryley: Mm-hmm
Kat: but there are a few movies that like, every time I will cry. The end of this movie, I cry every time. It really does like emotionally move you.
Ryley: No, I totally agree. This is a very, it is a very, an emotional movie and yeah, it's not one of my favorites, but it's definitely, it makes your heart soft. You know?
Kat: Mm-hmm.
Ryley: Got a soft place in my heart for it. I think it's romantic. I think it's, I just love it.
Kat: Yeah I, I agree. I agree.
Ryley: All right, let's move on to the audience reviews. First one is a 10 out 10, it's written in 2018. "This old Marine's thoughts." That's the title. "I did not want to watch this movie. But took my wife to see it because we both saw the one with Kris Kristofferson and Barbara Streisand growing up. Crowd was a lot older than we were. We are almost 50. It was [00:28:00] the biggest screen they had at our theater and it seats a lot, but it was maybe half full on a Sunday afternoon. Not one dry eye in the place. It had a great tempo and didn't drag on, or have any lulls in the story. We were both very pleased, and are still engaging in conversation about the movie. It's my opinion, to highly recommend to everyone go out and watch a great movie in a heartfelt movie that redefines love in this time and age we live in. That is my 2 cents. Hope he enjoy as much as we have. I thought that was a very sweet one.
Kat: I loved it.
Ryley: I loved it.
Kat: He said not one dry eye. That means he cried.
Ryley: Yeah, exactly.
Kat: That's sweet.
Ryley: This next one, 1 out of 10. "Keep my ticket money, but please gimme back over two hours of my life back. Okay. I went and saw it because of the soft side of me, or in other words, my wife wanted me to go see it with her and I love her so much. I didn't know what to expect. So I went in with an open mind, the first hour showed promise, but the rest of the movie was kind of like the movie, the Titanic", you knew, "you knew the boat was [00:29:00] gonna sink at the end. I found the F word so often said that it took away from the film. I say that word from time to time, but not 74 times in two hours. And I'm 33 years old and I'm not bashful. Lady Gaga is the reason for the crowded theater. If they said Stephanie Germanotta was the actor and the theater would've been empty. Personally like her and admire her for opening up about her mental and physical struggles. That is great help for so many. But this is a movie and not a lip synced video. The Lady Gaga marketing didn't make up the difference for this film. One poster asked a good question. How many, 10 outta tens can fans give a movie when it isn't even released? Is this just marketing by the movie makers? Five foot two is better than this movie. Wait for A Star is Born to come out to red box or Netflix. The restrooms will be closer and the drinks will be cheaper."
Kat: Five foot two is her documentary about her.
Ryley: Oh, cool. I'm glad he saw it. I thought this was a very respectful review for one outta 10
Kat: 33. You're aging yourself [00:30:00] a little bit. You sound older than that.
Ryley: They do.
Kat: Okay. The part about how many, 10 outta tens can be made whenever the movie isn't released, some people might have gone to an early release of it.
Ryley: Film festivals.
Kat: Might have been the people who were at Coachella.
Ryley: Yeah, honestly, they were like, I just saw that one scene. It was fantastic.
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: 10 out 10.
Kat: I do think the part about the restrooms being closer and the drinks being cheaper is funny. I love movies, but I don't like going to the movie theater. I can't pause it and go to the bathroom.
Ryley: Exactly. There's like, there's guaranteed a chunk of that movie. You're gonna miss
Kat: My attention span is really bad. And if I'm not eating something, I can't pay attention to a movie in a theater.
Ryley: The thing that ages them is when they talk about like, oh my gosh, the F word is in there's 74 times. And I wanted to ask you, do you think cursing takes away from movies at all?
Kat: Personally?
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: No, I think if it's not used in a a way where it seems like a 16 year old wrote the script.
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: That's dumb. But like, it would take a lot for it to be excessive for me. If you've listened to any other episode of this podcast, I [00:31:00] literally end every sentence of just about with a curse word.
Ryley: That's the thing I curse like a sailor and I probably don't even flinch or probably don't even notice when someone is cursing, unless they're just screaming it.
Kat: I only notice if I'm around children. Cause I'm like, okay, don't.
Ryley: That's the thing. And then I'm like, oh, turn off the TV. turn off the movie. You can't watch this.
Kat: Don't say that word.
Ryley: Don't say it. , it's one of those things where like, I didn't, I didn't even notice that like.
Kat: Yeah I honestly.
Ryley: If someone asked me was like, Hey, like, do they curse in A Star is Born? I probably would've been like, no, no, probably not. No, maybe one or two but.
Kat: 74. I didn't.
Ryley: Yeah. I don't know if they're being accurate, but like I.
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: This next one is a one out of 10. "Can't understand how this film is getting such rave reviews." Written in 2018. "The movie is just playing bad. There must be some big payola going around this award season. Badly written, average acting at best. All the characters are unrelatable and unlikable. Two hours in my life wasted. Gaga was edited out of any opportunity to really act and other [00:32:00] actors carried her scenes on their back. Bradley Cooper just drank swore and mumble for two hours. I really don't understand where all the good reviews and awards are coming from."
Kat: So they're saying that they must have paid off the awards. People I've said this before, and I'll say it again. All of the big awards are just a bunch of, sorry, this is gonna be gross, but it's just a rich person circle jerk.
Ryley: Mm-hmm , that's what it is. Think about it. All the people like at the Oscars, everyone voting, which one's the best are former people who won Oscars.
Yeah.
So it's just like, yeah, of course.
Mm-hmm.
Like, it makes sense. Uh, yeah your favorite movie of that year with no one who knows anyone in it. Yeah. It's not gonna make it to the Oscars. Sorry.
Kat: They just made the right moves.
Ryley: That's not a new concept though.
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: That's why awards shows are dumb.
Mm-hmm.
You can either watch it for fun or not.
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: It's up to you.
Kat: Awards are just a marketing ploy.
Ryley: Absolutely. All right, this next one is one out of 10, written in 2018. "What do we have here? A lackluster star." They get pretty creative with [00:33:00] these titles.
Kat: They sure do.
Ryley: "The fourth incarnation of A Star is Born featuring Bradley Cooper and dollar store Madonna knockoff Lady Gaga is proof yet again, that there really is very little or no creativity in Hollywood in our modern times." I'm just looking at your face. "Are filmmakers so damn lazy that they decided to reheat a classic film like mom's late night leftovers? Which the more times you do the taste tends to spur over time. That's what this film is like. One remake is fine. Two remakes is pushing, but three damn remakes of the original film, just toss what very little brain cells you have left in the garbage, because those praising this reheated concoction are suffering from long-term food poison. Sorry, the star isn't born because the star burned out just like mom's leftovers. This person went- had a whole theme.
Kat: They did. I like that. They're very consistent.
Ryley: Mm-hmm
Kat: I said before, it's a timeless story. I think every generation needs their A Star is Born.
Ryley: Yeah. The last one made was in 76. I mean, we.
Kat: It had [00:34:00] been long enough.
Ryley: Yeah. And I had never seen any of them. This was the one to go see, this was like for us. And I think that's okay.
Kat: I do also find it annoying that there are so many remakes and reboots and sequels and whatever coming out lately, especially because there are only so many ideas for movies.
Ryley: Mm-hmm
Kat: I agree with them there, it is just another remake thrown in with a bunch of other remakes, but I do think this was a successful remake.
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: This is not the remake that I would complain about.
Ryley: No, this is not, no, I would not either. And I think whenever someone goes, I'm gonna quote them, "very little or no creativity in Hollywood in our modern times," I think you're the lazy one. That means you're not watching movies. That means you're not watching anything new coming out. You're not paying attention. And you're ju- you see one or two new movies whenever you can, or wherever you want. And then you don't like them because one they're big budget, Hollywood films, which granted yeah okay.
Kat: We've said before blockbusters.
Ryley: Yeah.
Kat: You know.
Ryley: That means you're [00:35:00] you were picking the wrong movies to watch. You're not paying attention to other movies being made by smaller productions or by other people.
Kat: I, you know, we don't know them. We don't know how much, what, what they watch, but like, it always seems like they only watch movies that come out in theaters.
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: And it, that, I don't know. That's just how it comes off to me. But I do think it's very rude to call her dollar store Madonna knockoff.
Ryley: That was so rude.
Kat: Like shut, shut up.
Ryley: Yeah, that's the thing. It's people who need to shut up.
Kat: And if it, she's not, she's not like a knockoff, you know, she is-
Ryley: She's not, she's just an sorry, the new version of it, of what you guys had.
Kat: Yeah. And she's her own thing.
Mm-hmm.
We all have that a little bit in us where we're like, Ugh.
Ryley: Mm-hmm
Kat: but like just, you gotta get over that.
Ryley: You kind of do, cuz like-
Kat: you gotta work with the times or you'll get left behind.
Ryley: Uh, Bob Dylan, thank you. That's Bob Dylan lyric.
Kat: Mm-hmm.
Ryley: Did you even know that?
Kat: No.
Ryley: Oh, you just blurted out Bob Dylan lyric. That's so cool.
Kat: It's almost like he just says obvious things sometimes.
Ryley: I mean, yeah.
Kat: I didn't know that was a lyric. [00:36:00]
Ryley: I forgot how you put it, but yes, you, you just said a Bob Dylan lyric.
Kat: You have to, you have to, you have to grow at the times or you'll get left behind.
Ryley: Yeah, seriously. In one version or another that is exactly a lyric.
Kat: It may be a fad, but just see how long it lasts. That's why I didn't jump on mullets right away.
Ryley: And it's funny to have pictures and look back on them and go like, oh God, what did I do? but, or you're gonna look back and go look how cool I was.
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: I think it's constantly changing. Sorry, just one last
Kat: No no you're good go ahead.
Ryley: Thing it's constantly, as long as you're constantly changing something, not, you know, to your liking.
Kat: Yeah, no. Yeah. I get that. You have to, you have to evolve as a person. You can't.
Ryley: Yeah. You can't stay the, you can't look the same for 40 years, you know?
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: So this is a two and a half star from Letterboxd. "You ever watch a movie that feels like it knows what a good piece of dramatic filmmakings supposed to look, sound, and feel like but just can't seem to quite figure it out. Don't get me wrong. There's promise. There's good scenes and the actors are all talented people. It just [00:37:00] feels like a debut. Some scenes show some real," direct, "directional talent from Cooper, but I don't know. Quite a lot of it feels stitched together like the shots have been composed individually with little concern for how they work together, which sometimes creates a very jarring effect, more intentional in some scenes than others.
It's a shame, honestly, seeing that I really loved this, when it came out, but I just don't think it it's all there."
Kat: Okay.
Ryley: I can I find some merit in that.
Kat: I, I agree. It does. It does feel like a directorial debut.
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: I'm, I'm glad that somebody is coming in with like, is technical issues that they have because I, those things didn't take me out. I guess I wasn't as jarred by some of those things. I will say I do see how they feel that it's kind of stitched together. Doesn't have the best flow.
Ryley: Mm-hmm mm-hmm
Kat: but it didn't take me out of it.
Ryley: It wasn't distracting enough for it to be critique, at least for me, for the movie. I do know what they're talking about though.
Kat: Mm-hmm
Ryley: but I, I don't, I don't think it's the worst.
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: This one's [00:38:00] three and a half stars from Letterboxd. I'll admit I had very low expectations for this film and for a while I thought they were going to be met, but the final sequence of the film were incredibly moving, bringing my mother to tears. I was feeling emotional afterwards, too, particularly shocked at how I felt by the end. The music, overall, is decent, shallow being the only one I know, as it was doing the radio rounds for a long time, was easily the best song of the film. While there are a few other ones that I enjoyed listening to, there was a lot of meh songs as well as ones that just weren't good. The majority of the film was very generic and while good, it never really said anything.
It felt safe. That is until the aforementioned end.
Kat: Yeah. The one that's like, why did you do that do that? I hate that song.
Ryley: Yeah.
Kat: But it's, I think it's supposed to be not good.
Ryley: Mm-hmm I it's almost like they're kind of taking a crack at her transferring to pop.
Kat: I, yeah, I, I agree. That's what I was thinking when I was watching it, I was like, oh, okay. This is just a show that like she fed into the
Ryley: Right. Hollywood mainstream.
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: [00:39:00] Uh, this next one is from IMDb it's one out 10. One star is born. "This film has a little emotional feel to. You would get more emotion from an episode of Holly Oaks." I don't know what that is.
Kat: British.
Ryley: Yeah. British
Kat: British person spotted.
Ryley: That was funny. "Lady Gaga was pretty good in the lead role, but Bradley Cooper is quite frankly a poor actor who has only made it because of his looks. He was just not a convincing alcoholic drug addict. For his direction, words, fail me. The film just doesn't flow from the get go. And the script is amateurish and patchy. Don't waste your money on this Turkey."
Kat: Oh, I love it. They- Somebody else called it a Turkey.
Yeah.
I don't, I don't think Bradley Cooper gets by on just his looks. I think every actor in Hollywood has to have looks.
Exactly
Ryley: because that's how it's set up
kinda mean that they say he's not a convincing alcoholic or drug given, he was an alcoholic and drug addict for many years. [00:40:00]
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: I feel like he would know
Kat: I think that's just something that like, I don't think he should be critiqued.
Ryley: Yeah.
Kat: Especially since like, if he hadn't, if he had no knowledge of what that was like.
Ryley: Yeah.
Kat: I think I could see that being critiqued.
Ryley: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.
But the
Kat: fact that he's had, he's dealt with that before.
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: No matter how similar there are, how many similarities there are between different people's experience with addiction.
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: It's gonna be kind of individual to like each person, you know?
Ryley: Mm-hmm.
Kat: So maybe this is how he handled it.
Ryley: Yeah.
Kat: And how he was writing it was like how it was for him and something that was a little more similar to his experience with it. And maybe not similar to something, this person is familiar with.
Ryley: Exactly. Yeah. So that was, that was something I wanted to mention with this review. Cause I was like, that's not fair to say.
Kat: Yeah. I don't think the script's amateurish, but I do agree because I said earlier, like it does not flow the best.
Ryley: Mm-hmm. This [00:41:00] next one's a wanna attend from IMDb. "Sorry, I don't find depressing movies entertaining. I was looking forward to this movie previews, make it look like a feel good movie. It was anything. Second half of the movie really drug on and on wondering when the movie would be over left, the theater feeling depressed. The person I went to the movies with told me she still felt depressed. 24 hours later. I love Bradley Cooper and I love lady Gaga, but I have no interest in seeing depressing movies." I kind of get that.
Kat: I do too, but I love depressing movies.
Ryley: Uh, it depends cuz there's some where I cannot watch. And there's some where I'm like, this is like the most groveling, depressing movie to watch. And I love it.
Kat: I get that. We have watched some depressing movies.
Ryley: Yes.
Kat: A movie like Detachment or like Room. Those are movies where like, I have to. Be ready to feel that depressed heavy emotion for a while.
Ryley: Mm-hmm
Kat: This one? I do agree. Like it, it lingers with you, but it's not the [00:42:00] most depressing movie I've ever seen.
Ryley: I didn't feel it with this one.
Kat: Okay.
Ryley: But I get where they're coming from and I get how you can feel that from this movie.
Kat: But it's not like, wow, that was such a heavy topic, now I now I'm gonna be,
Ryley: Sad.
Kat: Sad for a few days.
Ryley: Yeah.
Kat: This was more like, oh shit I could like, life is, is finite. That's all it is.
Ryley: Yeah.
Kat: You know, that's.
Ryley: Yeah.
Kat: So I, I see what this person's saying.
Ryley: I totally get what they're saying. I don't think the movie's bad because it's sad.
Kat: No.
Ryley: But-
Kat: I get why you wouldn't want that to be carried around.
Ryley: I understand that was a one and done watching movie experience. I totally understand that. This one's from Letterboxd. It's one star. "I don't know if it's because I watched this on the plane, but fucking hell I did not like it as much as I've thought I would." Cuz you watched it on a plane. It's diluted like food and. They're all diluted once you're in the air, including movies.
Kat: Definitely. There are a lot of movies that I watched on an airplane that I have a different opinion of than if I [00:43:00] were not to watch them on an airplane.
Ryley: Mm-hmm
Kat: I don't know what it is. It's just like, I, I have no choice, but to watch this movie, so it's, I'm upset.
Ryley: Yeah. That's the thing I hate being on a plane. I don't like the atmosphere of a plane. I don't like how my ears feel on a plane. I hate it. So if-
Kat: I love planes.
Ryley: We're opposite people with planes then cuz the, I hate being in a plane. I hate being in a plane.
Kat: When we're in the air I'm like the world has paused and I can do whatever I want cuz I'm on a plane. I have all the time in the world. That's why I love, I just love flying. I've also been flying since I was a baby. So I just love it.
Ryley: You've been on way more planes than I have. Next- I'm gonna tell you right now though, next I'm on a plane. I'm being medicated. I'm I'm zonked out. You had to carry me out.
Kat: That's fair.
Ryley: Please.
Kat: That's fair.
Ryley: I don't want that experience. I, I don't like being on a plane. I hate sitting in a chair in a plane. I don't like the people around me in a plane. I don't, I don't, I don't like my family on the plane. I don't no one, I just, the whole experience garbage.
Kat: Would you think I'm a psychopath? If I told you that airports are one of my comfort [00:44:00] places?
Ryley: Yes. Cuz why?
Kat: It's like a little town. It's like its own little town.
Ryley: It's like a little town. Oh my God.
Kat: I love airports.
Ryley: This is such a funny conversation, cuz I don't think we both express cuz like I know you've traveled a bunch, but I, I just don't wanna, I don't, I do not understand that. That is something that is weird about you and not me.
Kat: I hate road trips though.
Ryley: Oh, complete opposite. I'd rather be in a car for eight hours than plane for eight hours.
Kat: Fair. Fair. I just feel like I have, I have more leg room in a plane.
Ryley: I never have enough leg room on a plane.
Kat: I can get up and pee. We don't have to stop for me to pee.
Ryley: But then you get snacks, but then you have to pay for 'em. Well, you have to pay for him on a plane too. So.
Kat: They give you peanuts though.
Ryley: On a plane?
Kat: Mm-hmm but let's move on, cuz.
Ryley: Yeah. This one is four and a half stars on Letterboxd. "This was a really good movie, I guess I thought it had been overhyped. Doesn't have quite the magic and the 1954 version, but it is head and shoulders above the 1976 version. Basically follows a lot of the template, but just improves on it [00:45:00] just about every way. There's a lot more time spent on the relationship and what draws these two together, as well as their own demons and insecurities. I didn't quite understand the leap from the songs Ally sang with Jack on tour to the Lady Gaga-esque music she released. There wasn't much of an explanation there. Great cast. So many fun surprises, seeing people I wasn't expecting. Well done." And like I said, I think she's like, I don't understand the leap between the music she was originally singing to later in her career. It's like, yeah, she, she got into pop music. That's mainstream music.
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: That's what's what gonna be popular. That's what's gonna be.
Kat: Yeah. She was put on the, the pop star path because that's,
Ryley: It makes money.
Kat: It makes, yeah, exactly. It's like a, it's a more profitable path to go on. Like that's the commentary there.
Ryley: Yeah. If you wanna make commentary that's that's one. This next one's four stars from Letterboxd. "Well, I heard Lady Gaga did good, but I was not prepared for this film's impact on me. While filmmaking isn't the strongest, it definitely didn't detract from the story, which although lost me a little bit in the middle third, really [00:46:00] won me back over in the last third. And of course those first four or five minutes are so really, really great. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, honestly carry this movie. The chemistry is so amazing together and in their scenes alone, they really are able to connect you emotionally to their characters. It's great. And of course, the song in is this film minus few are astounding as well. Of course, shallow is great, but my personal favorites were always, always remember us this way and I'll never love you again, overall, just a great film."
Kat: That's when I start crying in this movie is when she starts singing. I'll never love again. Like Shallow's good, but it's overplayed.
Ryley: It is overplayed. This one's five stars." When you're already not in a good place and then choose to watch this, 10 outta 10."
Kat: Yeah.
Ryley: It's kinda like the opposite of that one that says, oh, I can't watch depressing movies. This person was like, oh no, I need to watch. This next one's a one outta 10. A viewer is bored. I, like I said, they're really creative with these titles.
Kat: I love that.
Ryley: This was written in 2018. "Lady [00:47:00] Gaga's quite good in a, oh, she can act as well as seeing sort of way, but she sacrifices her edginess. Bradley Cooper is one of those American actors whose name sounds like a corporate lawyer whose performances have about as much charisma. Perhaps writing and directing as well as learning to play guitar really badly was a bit of a strain. In the end this is no more than a tribute movie, a tribute to the Streisand/Kristofferson version. The songs are mediocre, the stories labored, and the cliches are polished and arranged in a display cabinet like glass animals. Oh, for a film that takes chances."
Kat: Car wreck? Call cooper.
Ryley: They're not wrong. They're not wrong about that little bit right there.
Kat: I I'm upset that people don't like the music in this movie, cuz I think it's, I think it's good. I think it's really good. It's good.
Ryley: I like it. I don't-
Kat: It's it's not like, um, it doesn't.
Ryley: It's not like one of the best albums or soundtracks of a movie ever, but it's it's it's it's good. I like it. This is our last review. It's 10 outta 10 from [00:48:00] IMDb. Called Star is Born. It's 2018. "A magnificent movie, captivating performance performances by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. The ultimate shock was how brilliant Gaga was. We knew she could sing, but didn't have any idea just how far her acting talent stretches.
After watching that, I could tell you it stretches far enough to earn her some Oscar gold. The movie is outstanding. The music is annoyingly perfect. And the cast is great and everything shouts, Oscar worthy, movie. 10 out of 10.
Kat: It is annoyingly perfect. Some of it.
Ryley: Yeah.
Kat: If I were to rate this movie,
Ryley: mm-hmm
Kat: I think I would give it an eight outta 10. I think it just loses some points for, um, you know, it does, it does feel like a debut film, it being a remake as a remake. It's one of the better remakes I've seen in the last few years.
Ryley: Absolutely. I would also say an eight outta 10, it's very good. It's a good movie. I'm gonna recommend, Hey, you probably need to see it. Yeah, pacing.
Kat: Mm-hmm .
Ryley: Yeah, but that's it like, that's really my only critique. I really don't have much else.
Kat: [00:49:00] Yeah. Okay. If you have any comments or concerns or complaints, or if you wanna suggest movies to us, you can DM us on our Instagram at easy bake takes. We also sometimes post clips of our podcast on TikTok also at easy bake takes. And don't forget to leave a review. And give us a rating wherever you listen to podcasts, cuz it does really help us a lot. And thank you so much for listening. My name's Kat
Ryley: and I'm Ryley.
Kat: This has been Easy Bake Takes. Easy watching out there.
Ryley: Bye
Kat: bye.